Tips on How to Set a Fitness Goal You Can Stick To
1. Set Smaller Specific Goals
The first place to start is to break down your overall fitness goal into smaller and more attainable goals. Telling yourself that you want to lose weight is a great beginning, but it’s not an easy thing to put into action. It doesn’t give you something to strive for and can be discouraging.
Instead, it’s better to focus on smaller goals that’ll lead up to your long-term fitness goals.
The goals should be something you can actively do, rather than result-oriented. For example, dedicate yourself to walking for 30 minutes every day. Decide to go to the gym at least three days a week.
These are things you can do, and keep doing, regardless of results.
It’s important to make your goals realistic. Attempting to lose 20 pounds in a week is only setting yourself up for failure and disappointment. It’s also not a healthy way to go about reaching your ultimate goal and could do you a lot of harm.
Short-term fitness goals are perfect when they’re action-based and aid in your journey toward your long-term goal. Write them down so that you always know where you’re trying to go in your fitness journey!
2. Start With Easy Routines
When you decide that it’s time to start getting serious about your physical health, it’s easy to dive right in. You’ll hit the gym every day and go for a run. You might start lifting weights and begin a strict diet.
The problem with this is that it’s difficult to maintain this kind of zealous routine as a beginner.
It’s easier to stick to your goals if you don’t force too much all at once. You’ve got to learn how to swim before you head down to the deep end of the fitness pool.
If you go too hard too fast, you could end up injured which will only make your journey more difficult.
As you set up your fitness schedule, start with one or two activities. You can always add more reps to a routine or stay out walking for a longer time. Without the right foundation, however, you’ll struggle to meet your goals.
3. Record Your Progress
Watching your progress can be both a great motivator and a potential stress-inducing problem. Without knowing your progress, you won’t know if you need to change anything in your fitness routine.
It’s also not a good idea to only focus on that progress because the path to healthy living isn’t always a straightforward thing. There are natural ups and downs.
The best way to counteract this is to record your progress within larger chunks of time. Instead of doing a check-in every week, do it every month or two.
This gives you a way to track all the good you’re doing without letting those natural ups and downs ruin your motivation.
4. Involve Friends and Family
Trying to attempt to change your lifestyle isn’t an easy task. That’s why it’s a great idea to get your friends and family involved.
Having someone to go to the gym with you is an excellent motivator. It’ll be much easier to go through your workouts if you have someone else relying on your presence. Plus, it’s more fun to do your favorite yoga routine with a friend by your side.
Even if your loved ones don’t join you on your fitness journey, they’re still a great source of encouragement and praise. They’ll be there by your side every step of the way so that you never have to feel alone!
5. Join a Gym Community
If you prefer to leave your friends and family out of your fitness journey, a gym is another helpful option. It’s also a good option even if you do have a loved one joining you.
The best thing about a gym community is the fact that you know everyone is going through the same struggles as you. You’ll learn to recognize others during your time spent there. It’ll start to feel more like a fitness family than a collection of strangers using workout equipment.
It’s a wonderful motivator to see others working towards their fitness goals. It’s even better when you recognize when they’ve reached a difficult milestone. Soon their successes will feel like your own, and they’ll return the favor when you reach your next milestone, too!
6. Sign Up for Personal Training
Sometimes it’s difficult to recognize if your workout routine is pushing you as much as it should. There’s a fine line between pushing yourself without pushing too hard.
That’s why getting a personal trainer is a great asset for anyone trying to become healthier. It’s even more valuable for beginners who are still trying to figure out their routine.
A personal trainer has all of the experience and expertise to recognize how to help you. They’ll keep pushing you to work harder so that you never hit a plateau in your progress.
They also know how to tackle any kind of workout routine safely. You’ll never need to worry about doing a new exercise the wrong way with a personal trainer there to back you up. They’re great at keeping you going and also keeping you free from injuries.
7. Keep Things Interesting and New
Are you worried about growing bored with your new routine? Do you find yourself groaning at the thought of ever doing a set of pushups again?
To stop yourself from feeling rundown by your exercises, try adding new and exciting things into the mix. Tuesday may be a cardio day, but that doesn’t mean you have to run every time.
Try some aquatic exercises instead. Go to a yoga session, or try kickboxing. Go for a bike ride or even a hike.
Adding new things to your routine prevents it from feeling stale and makes every day feel like an adventure. Plus, you never know when you’ll find a new favorite exercise!
